Typewriting machine



m A. s. F. KUROWSKI TYPEWRITING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 51. 1924 In ven for:

y flflomey M r h l 1927.

a c A. G. F. KUROWSKI TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 31. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 M rch l I 1927.

a A. cs. F. KUROWSKI TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 31. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 3% m TF1 Q m m V v m a L m a ll 1. N M Q r u 3% m n b IIIWHH 1: m \h m ix N NW .H w m m T V is? u m KN xxx MN QM." g@ g w q L 6 a. a g Q\ R March 1927' A. G. F. KUROWSKI TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 51. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 2 1927' A. G. F. KUROWSKI TYPEWRITING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet '5 Filed Oct. 51. 1924 Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,621,074. PATENT OFFICE,

ALFRED G. KUROWSKI, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEWRI'IING MACHINE.

Application filed October 31, 1924.

This invention relates to llllPl'OVQHlGl'ltS in typewriting machines, and more particularly to attachments for converting typewriting machines into stencil-cutters.

One feature of this invention is the provision of a stencil-device which may be readily attached to and removed. from a typewriting machine, so that the latter may be temporarily converted into a stencil-cutting machine.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a typewriting machine having mechanism for compensating for the weight of the different devices which may be at tached to the shift-frame of the machine without affecting the depression of the shiftkeys.

The stencil-attachment comprises a stationary frame fastened to the platen-frame by means of easily accessible fasteners, and a swinging frame pivoted at a point upon the fixed frame to the rear of the machine, and is provided with clamping'jaws for gripping a stencil-card by its upper margin, and then presenting the stencil to the printing field. The stencil-carrying frame shown in this mechanism is arranged to be lifted to line-space the stencil by means of a turning knob operating a cam-and-ratchet mechanism co-operating with means supported by the carriage to feed the stencil step by step to the printing line.

It is customary in typewriting machines to normally operate the typewriter in lowercase type and to lift the'platen to uppercase by the direct depression of a manuallyoperable key against the weight of the platen-frame and attachments thereon. Generally a counterbalancing spring is provided to aid in raising the plateirframe. Said spring should be comparatively weak so that the platen-frame may be restored to lower-case type by gravity against the tension of the spring.

It will be apparentthat if the counterbalancing spring is adjusted for compensating fer the weight of the shift-fran'ie without any attachmentthereon, and then the weight of an attachment is added to the shift-frame, the full weight of the attachment will have to be lifted by the shift-key, and consequently will make the key-depression hard.

In order to improve this condition, readily accessible means are provided in the ma- Serial No. 746,951.

chine for effectively tensioning the shift-key spring and for overcoming the added weight of the attachment.

In the patent to Sterling Elliott, No. 1,378,771, of May 17, 1921, there is disclosed astcncil-device built into a typewriting machine; The present invention illustrates a stencil-device which may be easily and quickly attached to and detached from a typewriter, and consequently enable the 0perative to alternatively use the typewriter either for ordinary typing Without the attachment or with the attachment thereon as a stencil-cutter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stencil-device which may be attached to a typewriting machine without appreciably altering the same. The advantage of this feature will be apparent as itenables the operative to use the typewriter for ordinary typing work and to transform the same into a stencil-cutting machine when required, especially in such work as the typing of stencil-cards for addressing machines which are generally made in small quantities each day to be added to the mailing list. It also enables the manufacturer [0 keep in stock the regular machine for typewriting and the stencil-devices and to supply the stencil-devices when required as attachments thereon, thus eliminating the extra cost and delay involved in the production of a different type of a typewriter for stencil-cutting as it has been done heretofore.

In order to facilitate the transformation of the typewriter, a deflector-plate is provided which may be permanently. fastened to the typewriter instead of, and in the place of, the usual wing-scale. One feature of this deflector-plate is that it may be used either as a guide-plate for the work-sheet when typing or as a deflector-plate for the stencil-blank when the machine is used for stencil-cutting.

Another feature of this invention isthat means have been provided whereby the stencil-device may be removed from the machine and another device, such a collating table or a different stencil-device, may be attached to the machine. To this end, the shiftspring in the machine may be readily ad justed for the Weight of the different attachments by changing the point of actuation of said spring. Means are also provided for stretching the spring when the attachment is on the machine and for releasing the same when the attachn'ient is removed.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a transverse section of the carriage and the platenshifting mechanism of a typewriting machine, and shows the features embodying the present invention applied to the machine including the stencildevice shown in operating position and the shift-spring under tension to support the added weight of the attachment.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the typewriting machine, showing the stencil-device removed from the machine, and includes the shift-mechanism showing the shift-spring released. 7

Figure 3 is a front view of the machine with the stencil-device attached thereon.

igu-re i is a perspective view of an improved deflector-plate.

Figure 5 is a side view of a carbon-strip pressure-roller, showing the relative position between the roller and the-platen of the typewriter.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the typewriter, showing the stencil-device attached thereon and the swinging frame of the attachment thrown to the rear of the machine.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view through the line 77 of Figure 6, and illust ates the adjust-ability of the locating plate on the attachment in relation to a locating rod in the machine-frame.

Figure 8 is a transverse section of the typewriter-carriage and the stencil-device, showing means for supporting and feeding a carbon-strip around the platen.

Figure 9 is a side view of a detail, showing the shiftframe and a lever tensioning a spring operatively connected to the shiftframe.

Figure 10 is a plan view of a detail, showing the shift-frame and a lever tensioning a spring 'operatively connected to the shiftframe.

Figures 11 and 12 are fragmentary side views in elevation of the shift-frame and show a variation of means for tensioning and releasing the shift-spring.

Figure 13 is a detail, crosssectional view on the line 1313 of Figure 11, showing a supporting member for the lever and spring illustrated in Figures 11 and 12.

Figures 1%, 15, 1 6 and 17 are modifications, showing he different relative positions of the shift-spring rtensioning and releasing lever.

Referring to F-i 'ures 1 and 2, wherein a portion of a typewriting machine is shown, 20 represents the machine frame, and 21 indicates a -type-bar pivotal ly mounted to swing and strike a platen 22, which is revolubly mounted on a shaft 23 and is supported at the ends by platen-frames 24.

Typewriting machines are provided with mechanism for automatically lifting the ribbo n and interposing the same between the type and the work-sheet, and for silencing said mechanism when cutting stencil-blanks. Said ribbon-lifting mechanism should be silenced previously to operating the machine for stencil-cutting.

For supporting a stencil-card 25, there is mounted upon a shaft 26 a plurality of clamping jaws 27, manually operable by means of a finger-piece 28 and a thumb piece 29. In order to insert the card 25, the stencil-frame is first swung rearwardly on a rock-shaft 30, the finger-piece 28 and the tl1u1nbpiece 29 are pressed together to open the jaws 27, and the card may be inserted and gripped between the jaws. For holding the stencil-card 25, which may be of a different width, the jaws 27 are provided, with depressions 87 for locating the wider cards, and with a screw which may be used for locating the narrow card as shown in Figure 3.

The stencil-card 25 is guided while the stencil-frame moves to a typing position, as shown in Figure 1, by means of a deflectorplate 31 which is permanently fastened to the typewriter-frame, and comprises a series of guide-lines to enable the operative to properly locate the card in printing position, and is also provided with elongated slots 32 to render said plate relatively adjustable to the printing line, in order that a comparatively fine adjustment may be obtained. Said deflector-plate 31 may be permanently fastened to a type-bar-segment 32 of the typewriter to replace the usual wingscale. Heretofore it has been customary to remove the deflector-plate used in connection with. a stencil-device and substitute for the same the regular wing-scales for typing. In order to eliminate the objection of removing the plate when transforming the machine, the def eetor-plate 31 is designed so that it may be used both when typing or when using the typewriter with the stencil-attachment. To this end, the plate 31 is provided with a series of guidelines 78, and is bent out at the en ls, forming ears 79 for guiding the stencil-card when letter-feeding the same. it is also provided with outwardly-extending bends 83 at its uppermost edges to assistin guiding the stencil-card past .a type-guide 21 and a ribbon-vibrator 21 when entering the printing position. In order that the plate 31. may lightly bear on the platen 22,

the plate is fastened to the typewriter by means of two downwardly-extending fingers 8% which form a resilient connection between the plate and the platen, thus efie ct-ively holding against the platen of the machine either "thework-sheet or the stencil card.

lll)

The stencil-card 25, while held by the clamping jaws 27, may be moved vertically, step by step, for spacing the several lines of an address, and, for this purpose, a linespacing means, as shown, is arranged for manual operation. The line-spacing means comprises a roller 37, mounted on the fixed frame of the stencil-device, and serves as a supporting member for a cam 33, manually operable by means of a finger-wheel. 35, fast upon a shaft 34, and journaled in side plates 36, rigidly connected by a cross-bar 88 and a tiered 101, and pivoted on the rock-shaft 30. Said cam 33 is made with varying radii. so that as it is turned, the frame-bars and the clan'iping jaws, supported thereby, will be raised to and held at different elevations, to correspondingly vary the elevation of the stencil-card. Means are associated with said shaft 31 by which it is arranged to be held against reverse rotation and also in several different angular positions to pre determine the position of the lines. Said means, as here shown, consists of a wheel arranged for connection with the shaft 3 1, and for moving ratchet-teeth 91 arranged to be engaged by a detent 92, on an arm 93, which is loosely pivoted at 94. Said detentarm has a limited movement only on its pivot by reason of the slotted end portion engaging a pin 96. The detent acts to hold a ratchet-toothed wheel in any position in which it may be set, by the rotation of shaft 34, but permits turning in one direo tion only. The teeth on said wheel are arranged in groups, shown as three in number, and each group has a different number of teeth. This provides for varying the number of lines, and also for spacing the lines more or less widely apart.

After the stencil has been impressed by the type and it is desired to remove it from the clamping jaws, the members 28 and 29 controlling the same are operated, and, by means of a link 97, operatively connected to the detent-arm- 93, by means of a pin-andslot arrangement 98, when the clamping jaws are operated to remove the impressed card, the link 97 is swung upwardly due to its being connected to the jaws 2'? at 99, thereby lifting the. detent 92 to clear the short teeth in. the wheel. 91, and permitting a spring (not shown), within the wheel 90. to return the cam to its original or starting position, against a large tooth of the wheel 100.

li'leans is pr vided in this device to make carben-type-impressions on the backs of the stencil-cards. so that the type-impressions may be visible at the front of the stencilcards. To this end, there are shown in the drawings two different methods of feeding and supporting a carbon-strip 38 around the platen 22. Figure 1 shows a carbon-paperrcceptacle 39, mounted on a bracket 192, and

having a slot 40 through which the paper is threaded from a roll of carbon-paper 41, and the strip 38 is wound around the platen 22. For locating the carbon-strip there are provided the end covers 103. For supporting the carbon-strip 38 on the platen 22, there is provided a roller 76 manually releasable by means of a handle 77, and operatively mounted upon a tubular member l7. Said tubular member 47 is mounted on a shaft 67, which also serves as a, tie-rod for the platen-frames 24. Paper fingers 82 of the typewriter are mounted on the rod 48, and may be thrown back as shown in Figure 1, previously to the attacln ing of the stencil-device to the machine. Normally, when the stencil-device is on the machine, the roller 76 is held for bearing against the platen by means of a spring- 49, The lateral movement of the tubular member 47 is limited in relation to the shaft 67, in order that, when the stencil-device is attached to the machine, the roller to will be approximately located in relation to the platen 22. There is provided for tiis purpose a pin-andslot arrangement which comprises a pin 50 fast on the shaft 67, which, by co-operating with a slot 51 in the tubular member 47, limits the lateral movement of the latter, and consequently of the roller 75 which is mounted thereon.

Figure 8 shows another method of supporting and feeding the carbon-strip 38, in which a roll of carbon-paper is mounted on a shaft 43, fed around the platen 22 and 100 wound again on a spool In order to tension the carbon-strip 38, a spring-plate l5 is mounted on a supporting shaft- 46 bearing on the papenroll 42 and the spool 44 and providing an equal and uniform tension on both ends of the strip 38. The two shafts supporting the rolls of carbon-paper and the shaft 46 are mounted on side plates 89, which are fastened to the fixed frame of the stencil-device by means of the shafts 30 and 67.

It is customary to provide a back for the stencil-cards, in order to prevent the typeblows from injuring the platen and to facilitate the cutting of the stencil. A backing 52, generally made of celluloid or other hard. material, is held on the platen 22, at the point where the carbon-strip passes 38 around the same, encircling the platen 22 and being held in place thereon by means of a holdenplate hlechani-sm inclndii d a pair of pins 54:, carried by one end of the platen 22, engages notches 55 in a stop-d"- vice 56 when the platen is turned and limits the movements thereof. The stop-device 56 is fast upon the stencil-frame, and will consequently be withdrawn when the stencildevice is removed from the machine, thus permitting the unobstructed operation of the platen 22. 1

Lil

In order to render the stencil-device dctachable from the typewriting machine, there is provided on the platen-frames a plurality of fasteners 57 and two locating plates 58 adjustably mounted on the stencil.- side-frames 59. Said plates 58 are provided with elongated slots 60 for entering the shaft 48, and are fastened to the frames 59 by means of screws 80, in slots 81, for rendering the stencil-device adjustable in relation to the platen 22 of the typewriter. It will be noted that the fasteners 57 .used for attaching the stencil-device to the typewriter take the place of the screws usually found in typewriting machines for supporting the platen-frame guards. In order that, when the screws are removed, the guards may be held in place on the machine, studs 86 are provided for effectively holding the covers on the platen-frames when the attachment is off the machine. Paper-guide 104i is shown mounted upon a shaft 105 for the purpose of illustrating a clearance cut 106 in the side frames 59, necessary to clear said shaft 105.

Normally a spring 61 is adjusted to counterbalance the typewriter-platen-frame for use without any attachment thereon, and consequently the tension of said spring will have to be increased proportionally to coinpensate for the added weight of the stencilattachment, or the extra weight would have to be lifted by the pressure on the shift key which would make the depression hard. in order that the key-depression may be light, regardless of the weight of the attachment on the platen-frame, means are pro vided to manually tension the spring 61 for effectively compensating for the added weight of the attachment. Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, which show an over-center-spring arrangement, the spring 61 is fastened to a shift-frame 62 at one end while the other end is operatively connected to a crank 63, operable by means of a handle 6%. The handle 64 may be under tension as shown in Figure 1 and held against a stop 65 on the machineframe. The spring tension may be released by swinging the handle 6% to a position as shown in Figure 2. A variation of the mechanism described is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, in which corresponding reference numerals are shown.

It is desirable to provide means for compensating for the weight of the several attachments which may be placed on the machine, of which one may be considerably heavier than the other. To this end the spring 61 may be fastened to any of a plurality of notches 66 in the shift-frame 62, thereby increasing or decreasing the lever: or radius of action of the spring 6i to shit he weight of the different attachments. in addition. to the stm ent for controlling res 1,974

the tension of the spring 61 at oneend, there is provided atthe other end a lever 68 to temporarily stretch ,the spring for comp-ensating for the weight of an attachment on the machine. A perforated plate 69, fast on the frame 20, is designed to co-operate with an int-erposing member 71, which may arr-est he advancement of the lever .68 as shown in Figure 12. By placing the member 71 in different holes70, the initial tension of the spring 61 maybe changed to suit the weight of the attachment. In order to increase the tension of the spring 61, the lever-68 may be swung :so that its back will be arrested by the same interposing member 71.

A variation of the above method for manually increasing or decreasing the tension of the spring 61 is shown in Figures 14, 16 and 17, in which a plurality of holes 7 2 in a plate 73 are designed to support an interposing member 74 and to arrest the travel of a lever 75 controlling the stretch of the spring 61, as shown in Figures 16 and 17. To release the spring 61, the lever 75 is swung to a position as shown in Figure 14-. The adjustment at the other end of the spring 61 is obtained by means of the same notches .66 in the shift-frame 62.

Variations may be resorted .to within the cope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may used without others.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a stencil-cutting.device, in combination, a typewriting machine having a shiftframe, a shift-key, and a compensating spring for said sh ft-frame for facilitating the operation of said shift-key, a stencilcard-ho-lding mechanism detachably mounted on said hift-frame and pivoted in the rear thereof for presenting a stencil-cal d in operative position in said device, and a readily operable pivoted finger-lever device for increasing the tension of said spring for counterbalancing the added weight of the mechanism on said Shift-frame.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen-frame, a platen, types striking againstsaid platen, and a carriagerod above said platen, of ,a detachable stencil-device pivoted inthe rearof said platenframe for presenting a stencil-card in the printing field of saidvmachine for engagement with said typesmeans for detachably nonnting said stencil-,deviceon the ends of said platen-frame, and means engaging said carriage-rod for adjusting said stencil-device for cooperation "ith said platen.

3. Ina .typewriting machine, he combination with a Jlaten-fran 1e, .a platen, and a All-C21l'dl10lCll11g device, of a Idetachable mounting plate adjustably ;fastened ,oneacl1 endofsaid platen frameand. having a pertit .extending reaiwardly of said :platenframe, a rod 'faste'nedbetween the rear ends of said mounting plates, and a second rod fastened between said mounting plates over said platen, said stencil-device being pivoted to said rear rod and extending forwardly over said second-named rod and resting thereupon in operative position for presenting a stencil in the printing field of said platen.

l. In a typewriting machine having a typeguide, the'combination with a platenframe, a platen, and a type-bar-segment, of a mounting plate detachably fastened on each end of said platen-frame and having a portionextending rearwardly of said platenframe, a rod extending between the rear ends of said mounting plates and being fastened thereto, a stencil-card-l1olding device pivotally mounted on said rod for being swung upwardly for conveniently gripping a stencil-card and for thereafter presenting said stencil-card in typing position against said platen, and a guide-plate yieldingly mounted on said segment in front of said platen and having portions at its upper edge bent slightly forward for engaging with and deflecting the bottom edge of said stencil-card rearwardly as it is lowered, so as to prevent said card from striking said type-guide.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen-frame and a platen, of a detachable stencil-device for presenting a stencil-card in the printing field of said platen, said device including a mounting plate detachably fastened on each end of said platen-frame and having a portion extending rearwa'rdly of said platen-frame, a rod extending between the rear ends of said plates and being fastened thereto, a second rod extending between said plates and being supported thereby above said platen, and means for adjusting the rear rod to bring it parallel to said platen, said stencil-device being pivoted on the reai'inost rod and arranged for resting in operative position on the forward rod.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen-frame, a platen, and a paper-tinger-rod positioned above and parallel with said platen, of a detachable stencil-device for presenting a stencil-card to the printing field of said platen, said device including a mounting plate adjustably fastened on each end of said platen-frame and having a portion extending rearwardly of said platen-frame, a rod extending between the rear ends of said mounting plates and being fastened thereto, and a second rod extending between said plates and being supported thereby above said platen, said device being pivoted on the rearmost rod and rest ing in operative position on the forward rod between said mounting plates, said mounting plates including adjustable locating plates fastened thereon and engaging said paperlinger-rod for adjusting said stencil-device for co-operating with said platen.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen-frame, a rotatable platen, and types arranged for engaging against said platen, of a detachable stencil-device arranged for holding a stencil-card in the printing field of said platen, a celluloid backing plate on said platen, a curved metallic holding plate extending longitudinally of said platen on the rear side thereof for fastening said backing plate thereon, and two pins projecting from one end of said platen, said stencil-device including a mounting plate detachably fastened on each end of said platen-frame, and a pendent stop-piece fastened on one of said mounting plates and disposed adjacent said pins in the end of said platen, said stop-piece having notches therein arranged for engagement with said pins, so as to prevent said holding plate on said platen from being moved to the printing line to be struck by said types.

8. A guide-plate for guiding Work-pieces in the printing field of a typewriter which has a platen, a t 'pe-guide, and a type-barsegment, said guide-plate including a curved body-portion arranged for being yieldingly and adjustably mounted on said segment adjacent the front side of said platen and arranged for holding thereagainst usual ty aewriter work-sheets, flaps having graduated scales marked thereon a letter-space distance apart, which flaps are bent forward from the upper edge of said body-portion at each end thereof, deflector-sections bent slightly forward from the top of said body-portion, and a cutout for permitting said guide-plate to be mounted on each side of said type-guide.

9. in a typcwriting machine, the combination with a platen-frame, a platen, and a paper-tinger-rod between the ends of said platen-frame, of adetachable unitary stencilcard-device including a mounting plate detach-ably mounted on each end of said platenframe and having a portion extending rearwardly of said platen-frame, a rod extend ing between the rear ends of said plates and being fastened thereto, a second rod extending between said plates over said platen, a mechanism pivotally mounted on the firstnamed rod for holding a stencil-card in operative position against said platen, and means for disposing a carbon-strip around said platen behind said stencil-card, including a frame pivoted on the rearmost of said rods and supported on said paper-linger-rod, a feed-roll for said carbon-strip, a talaze up roll for said carbon-strip, and a leaf-spring mounted between said rolls for tensioning said carbon-strip around said platen, said feedroll and said take-up roll and said spring being mounted on the last-named frame.

10. In a stencil-cutting device. in combination, a typewriting machine including a and means arranged platen, a platen-frame, and platen-frame guards, a stencil-cardeholding device including a slotted imounting plate detachably fastened on each end of said platen-frame over said guards and extending'to the rear thereof, a rod Supported between the rear ends of said mounting plates, said device being pivoted on said rod and extending forwardly therefrom for oo-operation with said platen,

for permanently fastening said guards on said platen-fra1ne and for detachably fastening said mounting plates on said platen-frame over said guards, said means including studs threaded .into said platen-frame, which studs have shoulderportions engaging over said guards and in the slots in said mounting plates, and thumbnuts for engaging on said studs against said plates and said guards, said thumb-nuts being wider thanthe slots in said plates.

11. In a typewriting machinepthe combination with a platen, a type-bar-segment, and

bent slightly body bent slightly forward a type-guide on said segment adjacent the forward side of said platen, of a guide-plate having a body extending above'said typeguide and having a cutout in its upper edge for permitting said body to be disposed on either side or" said type-guide, two resilient arms bent downwardly from the top edge of said body and having slots in their lower ends for permitting adjustable mounting on said segment, the upper portion of said arms and the adjacent section of said body being A forwardly to form a worksheet-reeeivingthroat, a flap at each end of said body having letter-space graduations and being bent fOi'WE11'(ll and transversely to said body from the top ed 'e thereof, and laterally-extending ears on each end of said .to form throats for guiding laterally-moving work-sheets between said plate and said platen.

ALF-RED G. F. KUROVVSKI. 

